CEDAR FALLS -- When Janet Acklin arrived home from her job working the night shift as a facilities services coordinator at the University of Northern Iowa last Nov. 15, she found her husband, Dennis, on the bedroom floor.

"All I remember is that I was stuck between the bed and the closet," Dennis, 62, recalled.

Janet called 911, and Dennis was rushed to Sartori Memorial Hospital. He later was transported to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City where doctors said he had suffered an ischemic stroke and a heart attack.

Dennis spent nearly six weeks rehabilitating and was admitted to ManorCare until he recovered enough that his wife could take care of him in their Cedar Falls home.

Since then, Dennis has undergone surgery to have three stents put in his heart. The couple has had to purchase a hospital bed and a vehicle so Janet can transport Dennis to doctor appointments. A ramp was added to the couple's home to accommodate Dennis' wheelchair. New carpeting was installed for the living room to allow Dennis to move easier around the house.

To help with the expenses, members of the UNI custodial staff are planning a benefit for the Acklins.

"She's a very, very giving person," said Colleen Toneff, custodian at UNI. "She's one of those people who, even if she had her last dime, she'd probably give it to somebody else if she thought it could help them."

The July 18 benefit at Lofty's Lounge in Evansdale will include a dinner and an assortment of raffle items up for bid. Toneff said a night's stay at the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, including two meal tickets, is one of the biggest items that has been donated so far.

"I'm not surprised because they're very good and very giving people," Janet said of the custodial support. "But I'm just surprised at the magnitude. These people have gone way, way out of their way, and I'm very appreciative of it."

She said the money would go to help them redo their bathroom to make it handicapped accessible. Because Denniss entire left side is paralyzed, it's impossible for him to access the tub or the shower. Instead of sponge baths, Janet said she hopes to be able to provide her husband of 44 years with a suitable shower.

Despite all that he's been through, Janet said her husband doesn't complain.

"He's retained a wonderful sense of humor," she said. "He's able to speak. He's able to be understood. He's never complained. He's always, always worried if I'm going to be OK."